IX. The impossibility of imitating political examples, will be found
still more manifest, if we consider, besides the person who acts, the
people he is to act with. What is it to the purpose, that such an
ambassador, has negotiated perfectly well at such a court, by employing
such means? This example will be of no use to another ambassador,
because, abstracted from an infinite number of other circumstances, a
repetition of whose perfect assemblage will scarce ever happen, he does
not negotiate with the same ministers; and every different genius, has a
different door, through which you must enter to have access to his spirit.
X. I may be told, that the political books have provided against this
inconvenience, and have accommodated negotiators with a variety of
prudent precepts, suited to the various geniuses with whom you are to
treat. This is nothing to the purpose, but is all talking at random.
For the examination of these geniuses, must be made by the negotiator,
and not by the author of the book, and the difference and variety of
geniuses, is totally incomprehensible to the human understanding.
Every man has his distinct one, which is no more exactly like that of
other men, than the features of his face. The terms in which these are
described, both in books of morality and politics, are general. They tell
you, that one man is passionate, another gentle; one ambitious, another
moderate; one avaricious, another liberal; one courageous, another timid,
&c. Do you think that these are the ultimate, and only differences to
be found in geniuses? No, they are not; but are sorts or species, every
one of which, contains within itself innumerable differences. Have you
not seen a man, who was remarkable for facing his enemy in battle, and
timid in supporting his opinion in conversation? and another who is very
patient under acute pain, and outrageous upon hearing any thing injurious
said against him? What does all this amount to, but that these are
different degrees of valour, and of patience, which we have no names for?
and it would be impossible to give names to all of them, because they are
innumerable.
XI. These things may be compared to colours. If you should be asked how
many species of colours there are, you would begin by reckoning up eight
or ten; such as the red, the green, the blue, the white, &c. But can
you suppose, that these are the ultimate and only species? No, they are
subalterns, as the logicians call them, or sorts, every one of which,
has innumerable species. To convince you of this truth, examine the
leaves of a hundred plants of different species. You will find them all
green, but not in any one of them, will you find a green perfectly like
to that of any other plant. To every different species of plant, there
is a correspondent different texture of the insensible particles of its
leaves, and a different texture of the insensible particles, occasions
a different reflexion of the light, in which, according to the most
probable opinion, consists the diversity of the colours.
XII. In the same manner, there is no man who has not a distinct
particular temperament, and different from that of all other men; and to
a distinct temperament, there is no doubt, but there must be annexed a
distinct genius.